Hosiery-inspecting device



Sept. 10,' 1929. E. R. AMMON HOSIERY INSPECTING DEVICE Filed July l1, 1927 3 Sheets--Sheet lNv NToR hm? fw M ATroRNEk/ Sept. 10, 1929. I E. R. AMMoN 1,727,498 y HosIERY INsPEcTINg, DEVICE Filed July ll, 1927 3 Sheets-'Sheet 2 5M 2 INVENTOR` A BY /M A ORNEY Sept. 10, 1929. E. R. AMMoN HOSIERY INSPECTING DEVICE Filed July 11, 3 Sheets sheet 3 VENTOR ATTORNEY 'Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWARD R. AMMON, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOSIERY-INSPEGTING DEVICE.

Appneatioi mea :fully 11,

The present invention relates to an improvement in hosiery `inspecting devices. In some respects, it `applies more particularly to apparatus for inspecting so-called seamless hosiery as distinguishedfrom full fashioned hosiery. In other respects, the improvements are applicable to apparatus for inspectingeither kind of hosiery. One object has been to provide a seamless hosiery inspecting form lo of such shape and'proportions that the stocking to be inspected may readily be drawn into inspecting position with the threads normally extended but not stretched for general inspection, the form being further provided with extensible means for stretching toe portions of the stocking. In well known forms of seamless hose, the toe portion includes short knitted seams, the stitches thereof being referred to as gore stitches and looped seams made by looping stitches which extend to the ends of the knitted seams. Another obj ect of my invention is to provide means for effectively stretching said `gore and looping stitches andy particularly those known ascorner stitches and located at the point where the gore stitches and looping stitches meet. My improved construction also provides apparatus which may be operated in such a manner that the operators hands will be left free to draw on and pull olf the stockings to be inspected. In some forms, rotation of the stocking holding form is accomplished by a foot operated device so thatthevoperator is relieved of the labor kof turning or rotating D the form. Other advantages and benefitswill be apparent from a consideration of the following description of a preferred form of my invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is aside elevation; Y e

Figure 2, a central longitudinal section enlarged'to illustrate details of the form supporting and brake mechanism;

Figure 3, an enlarged rear end view ;l y Figure 4, a central longitudinal section of the forward end of a'preferred embodiment illustratingv the extensible members or fingers for expanding or stretching the gore stitches and looper stitches;

Figure `5, a fragmentary side view of an 1927. sei-iai n1204313.

end portion showing the'extensible goreV and looper stitch expanding fingers in `exten-ded position; i f i Figure 6, a transverse sect-ion on the line 6 6 of Figure 4; L

Figure 7 a fragmentaryside view further illustrating the shape of preferred embodiment of my seamless stocking inspect-ing form o e Figure 8, a side view of a modification' showing footy operate-d means :for rotating' the form; Figure 9, a .side view of a further modiica-` tion showing hand operated means for rotating the form and simultaneously' advancing and retracting the finger extending devices, the parts being shownin the relative positions occupied byy themwhen the fingers kare extended; e o

Figure 410, a fragmentary view thereof illustrating the relative position of the parts when the fingers are retracted; and

Figure 11, a` detailyin transverse section on theline y11-11 of Figure 8. u

In producing any apparatus for satisfactor ily inspecting seamless hosiery, I have found that the most effective results are obtained in usingy a form having certain dimensions, proportions and terminal contours. As indicated in the drawings, the main or body portion of S0 the form is 'substantially an elongated truncated cone and is provided at its forward end with an attenuated nose or wedge-shaped portion. In a commercial form for'average size ladies, mens and largersize childrens hosiery, the truncated cone portion is 29 inches long witha base diameter of 315/3 inches and an end diameter of 25/8 inches. The wedgeshaped end or projection extends about 1% inches beyond the narrower end of the truncated cone. The nose is formed with opposed flat faces arranged at an angle preferably of between y50 and 60 degrees and convergin toward a rounded end portion of `cylin-drica contour forming part of a cylinder yhaving a diameter of'fyg of an inch.` As indicated in Figures 4 and 5, it will be noted thaty the extreme end of the nose is also slightly attenu# ated in the axis normal to the axis passing through the faces of 'the kwedge hereinabove 100 Y foot .or hand actuated means.

in Figure 1, a yoke 2l engages the Vcollar 20,

a separate member having a threaded baseand formed with converging attened end surfaces 2 merc/ing into a rounded edge vo. Between said flattened surfaces 2 are mino-r yconverging surfaces `defining cdrners 4 formed by :intersection ofthe edge and lateral surfaces of the end or tip 100. lvlfhere, a form as 1 is hollow, it is conveniently mounted on abracket 5 by suitable connecting means disposed inside the form. As indicated in kFigure 2, an annular liange 6 inside the base of the form lsupports a ball retainer 7. An axle 8 is secured to the bracket 5 and is provided with ball engaging cones 9 cooperating with ball bearings 10 interposed between said cones .and interior surfaces ofretainer 7. It willbe clear from the' foregoing that the form 1 may readily be rotated around the axle8 which is preferably hollow for a purpose Yhereinafter tobe explained. v

The form is'provided vwith extensiblemeans for stretching the toe portion and particularly the gore and looper stitches thereof in seamless hosiery,y said meansbeing in part carried by the tip 100. F or this purpose, lingers 11 are 'formed on levers 12 pivotally mounted at 13 on interiorly disposed brackets 14 secured to said tip 100 and movable into operativeposition when the tip is screwed intoA operative relation on the form 1. Springs as 15 are interposed between the levers 12 and interior portions of the casing or formvto retainthe fingersv normally in retracted position. yThe rod 17 having arwedge 16 at its forward or inner end extends longitudinally through the hollow shaft 8 and is provided at its outer end with a flanged collar 2O which cooperates with suitable means for thrusting the rod forward andreturning it to its rearward position. This motion of the rod or other linger extending instrumentalities may be effected in any desired manner either automatically uponrotation of thek form or by As indicated said yoke being secured to and movable with a link 22 pivotally secured at 23jto a bell crank lever 24 pivotally mounted at 25. By deflecting the free endof bellcrank lever 24 the'rod 17 is moved forwardly 'p thus entendingV the lingers 11 tothe position indicated in Figure 5. In some cases it may be desirable to'provide means for positively arresting rotation of form `1, for example, so thata stocking may 8, it is contemplated that rotation of the form willr beY edected by afoot operated device instead of bymanual rotation. For this purpose, the form 1 is mounted in any suitable manner as in albearing of abracket 84, said form 1 having a shaft 35 to the outer end of which is secured a gear meshing with a pinion 27 at the end of a shaft 38. A drum 39 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 38 and provided with a strap 40, the free end of which is secured to a treadle 41. .As indicated in F igure 11,'ay recess 42 inside of cylinder 39 accommodates a ball bearing 43 and a spring 44 normally pressing said bearing toward and into engagement with shaft '38. In operation, when the strap 40 is moved downwardly in the direction of thearrow, Figure 11, the ball bearing 43 wedges between shaft 88 and the opposed surface of the recess 42, thus causing shaft 38 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction.y As indicated in Figure 8, a torsion spring 45 has one end secured to the inner end of a hub 46 of drum 39, the other end being secured inside a housing 47 which also provides a bearing for said hub 46. In operation, when the treadle 41 is operated downwardly the shaft 38 advances .and torsion spring is simultaneously wound up. When pressure is removed from the treadle 41 drum 39 is free to return in a clockwise direction relatively to shaft 38 and is so moved by operation of spring 45.

In the modification shown in Figure 9, means'are provided for rotating the form and simultaneously actuating finger entending instrumentalities. As indicated in said figure, form 1 is rotatably supported on a bracket 48 and is provided with a gear 49 engaging a pinion 50 secured to a shaft 51.l A beveled gear 52 on said shaft 51L meshes with another beveled gear 53 mounted on a4 stud shaft 54 which is rotated by means of a crank or hand wheel 55. The bracket 48 also carriesthe cam 56 cooperating with another cam 57 supported on a bracket 58. A longitudinally extending rod 59 rotates with the form 1 but slides longitudinally with respect thereto and may be provided at its forward end with a wedge or other suitable device such as that shown in Figures 4 and 5 cooperating with extensible fingers or other suitable stretching means, said to and fro movement of rod 59being accomplished by means of cams 56 and 57 cooperating with a cam folico lower 60 mounted at the end of anextension 61 on rod 59.

In the drawings hereinabove referred to, I have illustrated my invention in an embodiment employing my improved and preferred type of form or base. Itis contemplated that -the same or equivalent stocking stretching and form actuating or controlling instrumentalities may be incorporated in or used in connection with forms or b-asesof different cross sectional contour or other characteristics to effect a similar or equivalent result.

I claim as my invention: v

l. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a form having an elongated body portion of substantially circular' cross sectional contour and a terminal portion having opposed fiat surfaces in angular relation to each other and converging to a narrow wedge-shaped end presenting a substantially straight edge normal to the central longitudinal axis of the body portion.

2. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a form, supporting means therefor, a pair of stretching fingers, means for yieldingly retaining said lingers normally inside the form, and means for moving said lingers to extend the outer ends thereof beyond the surface of the form.

8. A hosiery inspecting devicecomprising form, supporting means therefor, a pair of stretching fingers pivotally mounted inside the form, and means for moving said fingers to extend the outer ends thereof beyond the surface of said form.

t. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a stocking receiving form having converging flat surfaces at one end, and stocking stretching fingers positioned to extend outwardly through the wall of said form in opposite directions and substantially parallel with the planes of said surfaces.

5. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a form, a supporting bracket therefor, a stretcher mounted in said form and having a portion adapted to be moved outwardly therefrom into stretching position, means for rotating said form relatively to said bracket, and means cooperating with said rotating means to move said stretcher into stretching position.

6. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a form having an elongated body portion of substantially circular cross sectional contour and a wedge shaped forward end portion having its lateral and end surfaces intersecting to form corners positioned and adapted to engage and extend corner stitches of the toe portion of a stocking to reveal knitting or looping faults therein.

7. A hosiery inspecting device comprising a form, supporting means therefor, a pair of stretching fingers normally positioned inside the form, and means for moving said fingers to extend the outer ends thereof in opposite tending means and with a stocking opera` tively positioned on the form, outer portions 'of said fingers move into stretching engagement with corner stitches of the toe seam of said stocking.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification this 29th day of June, 1927.

EDWARD R. AMMON.

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